The list is running short for toys that are "safe" for little siblings, and are fun for big boys. In a world where if it doesn't have batteries it has no merit, what in the world can I give my son for Christmas? First I was going to get him a Laser tag set, but then I found out it took 12 AA batteries: I'm sorry but that's ridiculous! Even with rechargeable batteries, I would be spending more on batteries, than the actual toy. We already have the Gameboy, Xbox, PSP, PS2, and Gamecube...(daddy's vices ) so what can we get him? I am more interested in imaginative play than video games. He would love magnetix but again the little siblings would find them interesting too, and the boys share a room, and there isn't much space, or time for him to play alone. So what are you getting your 6, 7, or 8 year old for Christmas?

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I have struggled with this badly this year. I can tell you what I got my ds - who is 7. We too also have a PS2 (thanks dad!), but I refuse to buy games for it - grandparents ahve to do that. SO for our 7 year old, who i am done buying for, I got:

Legos - I think it is one of the star wars ones. DD is 8 weeks, so right now the small legos pieces don't present a real hazard, but we have been on ds nonstop about keeping his toys picked up for when dd is mobile.

Pirannah Panic - it's a game

a Johnny Cash t-shirt (he is a fan - he wanted to name dd JohhnyCashBobMarley!)

a hot wheels rader gun - tells you how fast things are going

um...oh and a radio wiht little ear buds that looks a lot like the mp3 player we boiugh his older brother, as he was asking for an ipod - but that ain't gonna happen!!

I have a hard time though too - last year I bought two remote control things and later realized they needed special $25 batteries each, so I am not making that mistake again - plus most stuff winds up broken in the toy box a month later. He loves his legos though and they inspire him to be creative, so i feel good about thosr.

i think his granda got him a little pottery wheel too...wonder how messy that will be?

There is something called magna-tiles but they are a bit expensive. Assuming the magnets can't pop out, they would be less of a choking hazard then magnetix but I think they run around $50 for a 35 piece set.

My ds would be thrilled with a remote controlled robot but I think he is too young for the ones that he would like.

Heelies (grandma & grandpa)
A floam critter set
A Gameboy Advance & a few games (personally don't want to do this, but he has made a very clear and mature case for why he wants it that is actually pretty logical)

What about a telescope, a magic set, binoculars or walkie talkies? The game RushHour is also great.

My almost 7 has always been a hands on kid. He loves to build and will get some new legos too. I am making a puppet theater for him and 4 yo dd to share. I also got them a magnetic calendar to share. The tools were dh's idea. He has been able to use a screwdriver since he was about 2. He took his own training wheels off his bike at 3 1/2 and has been working on his bike and various other things ever since. We thought it was high time he had some tools of his own. Just a simple set of screwdrivers, wrenches ect. I may be inviting disaster like I find him taking apart the stereo or something. But he's pretty responsible and I think he'll do well with them . My 4 yo dd is the one that's hard to buy for.

We got our 7 year old legos, legos, more legos and a transformer - lol. He loves legos and plays with them for hours, literally. He was almost 5 when his baby brother was born and was already well into legos then, so we have been really careful about the legos staying in his own room. I am a fan of rubbermaid containers with lids for storing legos. Little brother can't get those open. If keeping them in big brothers room isn't an option for you, then I would go with rubbermaid containers somewhere in the house that a little one wouldn't have easy access. We've never had a problem and we have legos coming out of our ears.